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AstraZeneca receives AmeriCares' Power of Partnership Award for global health programs

AmeriCares has awarded its annual Power of Partnership Award to AstraZeneca for its outstanding commitment to increasing access to health care for people in need both here at home and throughout the developing world.

7 Jun 2011

PREMIER Biosoft, Waters partner to advance lipidomics research

Waters Corporation today announced it has entered into a non-exclusive co-marketing and reselling agreement with PREMIER Biosoft International to advance lipidomics research.

7 Jun 2011

Brainlab enters into definitive agreement to acquire Voyant Health

Brainlab announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Voyant Health.

7 Jun 2011

PATH malaria vaccine initiative to collaborate with GSK and Crucell in development of 2nd-generation malaria vaccine

The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell N.V. and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This collaboration is aimed at developing a second-generation vaccine against malaria—a deadly disease that kills close to 800,000 people annually, most of them young children under age five in Africa. MVI drives the development of malaria vaccines by joining its scientific, managerial, and field expertise with companies, universities, and governments to test potential malaria vaccines and invest in those with the most promise.

6 Jun 2011

Trifunctional antibody Catumaxomab triggers vaccination effect against cancer

TRION Pharma GmbH has announced that the results from two different studies demonstrate catumaxomab’s capacity to activate the immune system in a way that can otherwise only be achieved through vaccination. The data were obtained by two independent research teams using catumaxomab in malignant ascites and gastric cancer, respectively. The results were recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

6 Jun 2011

Who’s pushing Granny over the cliff?

The latest Mediscare ad shows Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) pushing an old woman in a wheelchair off a cliff. The Republicans are allegedly killing “Medicare as we know it.” But this is a diversion from the real question: What will “healthcare reform” or ObamaCare do to Granny? Democrats may hope to keep Americans from figuring that out until after the 2012 election.

6 Jun 2011

"Best Doctors" survey finds NY Presbyterian has the most top doctors in metro area

For the eleventh straight year, NewYork-Presbyterian has more physicians listed in New York Magazine's "Best Doctors" survey than any other hospital. The magazine lists 191 NewYork-Presbyterian physicians representing 17 percent of the 1,144 New York City–area doctors listed. The "Best Doctors" issue is on newsstands today. For the full list of physicians and ranking methodology, visit nymag.com/bestdoctors.

6 Jun 2011

Gleevec shows significant overall survival benefit for patients w/ GIST after 3 years of adjuvant treatment vs. 1 year

Novartis announced new data today showing a significant improvement in both recurrence-free survival and overall survival for patients taking Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate)* tablets for three years after surgery to remove KIT (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (KIT+ GIST) compared to one year of treatment. These data will be presented at the 47th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) plenary session on Sunday, June 5.

6 Jun 2011

Encouraging data from Cylene CX-4945 Phase I dose-escalation trial presented at ASCO 2011

Cylene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of encouraging data from an ongoing Phase I dose-escalation trial of CX-4945 in patients with solid tumors at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting held on June 4-8 in Chicago, IL.

6 Jun 2011

Malawi's health care system feeling effects of DFID aid withdrawal

Malawi's health care system is "facing major setbacks" after the U.K.'s Department for International Development (DFID) made its final aid disbursement to the country in March and decided not to renew a six-year spending commitment that ends this month, IRIN reports. DFID, which provided approximately $122 million to Malawi annually, was the country's largest donor.

6 Jun 2011

States slow to set up health exchanges; Alabama moves forward on reforms

Recent stories examine how states are responding to the federal health law and its implementation. Meanwhile, Politico looks at a Deep South state and the health moves there that are surprising some observers.

6 Jun 2011

GOP presidential hopefuls take stabs at health law, offer views on fiscal policies

Political activity continues to swirl around the health law. Congressional Republicans say they are still pressing forward with repeal plans, and possible presidential hopefuls take on the measure and offer specific policy positions.

6 Jun 2011

Waters introduces SYNAPT G2-S at 59th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry

Waters Corporation today introduced the SYNAPT® G2-S High Definition Mass Spectrometer, representing a significant step forward in performance for High Definition Mass Spectrometry. The SYNAPT G2-S incorporates both high-sensitivity Waters StepWave™ ion transfer optics and Triwave® ion mobility technologies along with a suite of new informatics tools to take qualitative and quantitative high resolution performance to a new level.

6 Jun 2011

Roundup: Poll finds growing support in Mass. for health law

Support for the Massachusetts universal health care law has increased since 2009, according to a poll of the state's residents -- even as the law has become the subject of blistering attacks in national and presidential politics, and health care costs soar.

6 Jun 2011

Onconova to initiate ESTYBON Phase II/III study in pancreatic cancer

Onconova Therapeutics, Inc. announced two advances in the clinical development of ESTYBON (rigosertib, ON 01910.Na) in presentations at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), June 3-7, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois.

6 Jun 2011

Pivotal health law challenge heads to 11th Circuit Court of Appeals

A three-judge panel in Atlanta will hear oral arguments in the lawsuit brought by 26 states. At issue is whether a Florida judge's ruling to strike down large portions of the sweeping overhaul should be reversed.

6 Jun 2011

Life Technologies develops qPCR-based accurate test to detect E. coli

Life Technologies Corporation today announced that it has developed a custom test (assay) to accurately detect the E. coli bacterium that has killed at least 22 people and affected more than 2,100 worldwide, including four new cases reported in the United States. Shipments of the TaqMan® E. coli 0104 Detection Kit to test foods thought to be associated with the outbreak are now in Europe.

6 Jun 2011

Several drug makers plan to lower prices of vaccines for GAVI purchase

Several pharmaceutical companies have pledged to lower the prices of vaccines against childhood illnesses ahead of the GAVI Alliance conference in London next week, the Guardian reports (Quinn, 6/6).

6 Jun 2011

Merge Healthcare, Ophthalmic Imaging Systems enter definitive merger agreement

Merge Healthcare, a leading provider of healthcare enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions, and Ophthalmic Imaging Systems, a leading provider of digital imaging and informatics solutions for ophthalmology and other medical specialties, today announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Merge Healthcare will acquire OIS.

6 Jun 2011

Medicare, Medicaid continue to play central role in budget debate

As the standoff over raising the nation's debt ceiling continues, congressional efforts to cut entitlement programs appear increasingly likely to be pushed off until after the next election. In the background, though, both parties are focusing on Medicare and Medicaid as key to their future prospects.

6 Jun 2011